Friday, 18 April 2008

PIF gifts and TLC

I was the very lucky winner of Anglesey Allsorts' recent PIF draw and a lovely parcel arrived in the post yesterday.

These were the lovely goodies she sent me, complete with the most fantastic label

and she really sweetly included a package for the Little Lockets

full of lovely crafty goodies - sorry the photo isn't very good - but there are transfers, bags of glitter and the most fantastic finger puppets to decorate - I can't wait the children can't wait to decorate them!

The other topic of interest for today's post is........................

TLC is a little club that we have set up in the Locket Household as Dorothy has left Brownies but can't get into Guides, Daisy has left Rainbows but can't get into Brownies and Fred is still too young for Cubs.

We came up with the idea a few months ago and made club badges and a sash each to wear them on and then I bought the supplies to make them all club t-shirts too but we forgot. So the first job on starting the club again today was to make the t-shirtswhile the children made the sign and decorated their Ladybird Club Notebooks

Here is part of Daisy's design

We decided not to use the sashes anymore as they went across the ladybirds on their t-shirts so I very quickly (and very roughly) made them some little bags from the legs of old jeans to put their badges on instead.

One of the things we want to do in our "club" is earn badges like you used to do in Brownies (sadly this didn't seem to happen in Dorothy's Brownie group) using this book as inspiration

a copy of the Brownie Handbook I had as a child (Dorothy reads this cover-to-cover on a regular basis!)

and their ideas for Badges to do our own.

Today the children earned their "Sewing badges"for all the stitching they have been doing recently and because we finished their cushions today.

here they are busily stuffing them - and the finished products are pretty cute too

When you actually read the rules of the badges we used to do you can see how much more was expected of us back then (crumbs that makes me sound so old!!!) For example, to get the knitting badge you needed to be able to1.Choose your own pattern and, following the printed directions, knit a garment introducing two types of stitches.2. Knit a pair of socks or gloves, or mittens with thumbs, using two or four needles.I don't think many modern under-10s would be able to do this level of knitting do you? The needlework one is pretty hard too - they expect loads of different stitches - but I think the Little Lockets have definitely earned theirs!

We are planning to move onto the Cookery badge

and the Gardening one too (I need some incentive to get my seeds sown or we are going to have a very empty allotment!)

I'll let you know how we get on but I will leave you today with this gorgeous photo of the Ladybird Club Members modelling their new t-shirts

I absolutely LOVE this photo - it's amazing how animated they look when you get them to say "KNICKERS" instead of "Cheese"!!!!!

I want to come and live at your house, it looks such fun!!! Congrats on the Ladybird Club it's a fab idea. Now if you do bob a job week (I'm showing my age too), will you come and weed my garden please :)Twiggy x

OOh I had that same brownie book, I rememeber doing the badges but your ladybird club sounds much better, can I join? I could easily get my sewing badge, and cooking and gardening would have to skip on the knitting badge though, you have very clever lockets. What a lovely Mum you are. x

WOW! Lucky little lockets! The Ladybird club looks about a million times better than brownies or guides (and they won't dread being teased every week for being "reet posh like" as I did!)It's great how they're all different ages but seem to get along so well and that they enjoy crafting and cooking and gardening which most young people sadly don't seem to do much anymore. Sorry, granny rant over :)What is the Brown Owl equivalent for the Ladybirds then? Are you Big Bug? Bird Lady?

What a fantastic idea. My second 2 girls couldn't get into guides either, but their older sister said it was rubbish anyway, they never did badges but spent their time putting on fashion shows and having make over nights, not her thing. I think you should start up an online Ladybird club, then we can all join in!You kids are so talented.xx

Wow that club looks fabulous! You are a brilliant Mum! I too had the brownie book (and was a brownie) I got quite a lot of badges, but I can only remember doing the hostess one and having to serve tea!

Such a shame that they can't get into the next stage of the guiding movement - seems to be the same all over - insufficient leaders I think - where we used to live in Gloucester you almost had to put their names down at birth (like Eton!) - well done you for starting up something yourself to keep their interest awake - be careful if their friends hear about it you may well end up with a house full. Love their cushions and yes 'Knickers' is a great smile inducer for photographs

Loved reading about the Lady Bird Club. You are a VERY good mummy!!! I too was a Brownie and a Guide and did lots of those badges. What a great idea to work through them together. I think I have that book too!

More mummy worship for you (first lot went to Moogsmum) for being a wonderful mummy, that club is such a good idea...will you be extending it beyond your own children?....My daughter, now 27 was a Brownie like the one on the front of your book...I still have all her badges in my work box....LOADS of them!!! (she likes uniforms, she's a police officer now!) Fran

What an excellent idea. I have not seen that Brownie book in years . Upstairs I have a Guide handbook from the same time. I achieved some of the badegs particularly the sewing one. Clearly sewing was on the cards as it has stuck. Found you today lovely blog and I will be back.

Ladybird club - what a brill idea - I could never get in Guides and always feel I lissed out - C has shown no interest- being much more sporty than me, she does cheerleading, gymnastics and swimming. She doesn't have the patience for cratfs yet - except she loves to draw.

Just had time to read your blog and got to the picture of YOUR brownie book. I can see that it was in the days of pounds shillings and pence - so I am wondering whose brownie book it actually is! You would have had to been the youngest brownie ever on record.

Please remember I am your BIG - OLD and now pounds shillings and pence - sister!!